It's finally happened...

Have you ever fallen in love with someone at first sight?

Me neither.

But today it finally happened. My heart was gone as soon as I saw her--the sweetest child I have ever seen. I can't say her name, but she is crippled by a debilitating disease that was supposed to have taken her before she was 5 years old. All I can say is that she is older than 5 right now. But I talked to the lady who is the girl's aide today at lunch, and her aide told me about this little girl who has a disease that, essentially, causes boils to form on her brain. Eventually, the boils/blisters pop and with them, part of her brain where the boil was is destroyed. Little by little her brain is deteriorating. She used to walk and talk, but now she can't walk, and her talking is very slow and slurred. Her aide told me how frustrated she was with some people because this little girl can hear fine, understand fine, and respond--it just takes a while.

After lunch was over and I finished talking with the lady who was the girl's aide, I went back to my classroom/office to get some stuff together before I went to my next school.

To my surprise, and soon to my delight, the aide wheeled in the little girl and another girl with Down's Syndrome to say 'hello' to me. My heart skipped with delight as I came over to say hi. And then it happened. I bent to say hi, stared into her big brown eyes, and she smiled small. I told her that the butterfly on her pants was pretty and she smiled. The other little girl tried to get my attention because she was wearing a pretty red ribbon on her wrist, and I commented on her ribbon. I asked the two girls if they were hungry, and I waited for the response. Slowly, but surely, she smiled and said "yes." It may have been slurred, she may not look perfect, but oh my word. She is beautiful. I lost my heart to this sweet child. Can I tell you, I wanted nothing as much as I wanted the Lord to reach down and heal this child.

Oh Lord! How it must hurt You so to see people hurting.